Cossimbazar Palace

Footi Mosque or masjid as it called in Urdu is an unfinished work of Nawab Sarafaraz Khan. It is located at a distance of a mile from Hazarduari Palace. Though unfinished the mosque has some unique architectural features that attract tourists to this spot. It is said that Sarafaraz Khan built this structure in one night.

The Kathgola Palace built in the garden premises of Raja Dhanpat Singh Dugar and Lakshmipath Singh Dugar is located in half a km South-East part of Mahimapur (modern Nashipur) town in Murshidabad. It is an impressive structure constituting a central drawing room, a library, billiard room, bedroom and dining room. Built during 1870s as a rest house amidst the garden it has porches on all 4 sides. The pool sides are beautiful providing natural ventilation. The fantastic view of the countryside from the second floor will mesmerize you. Also there is the Adinath Temple which is of immense importance to the Jains.

According to Holiday HotSpot, Nasipur Palace, old name Mahimapur Raj Bariis one of the primary attractions of Murshidabad which generally brims with visitors. Constructed in 1723-24 by Murshi Quli Khan this imposing structure has high minarets, huge domes and also a cemetery of the Nawab just below the staircase. Ramachandra Temple, one of the largest temples in Murshidabad is inside the palace compound. The Nasipur Palace is only 1.5kilometers from the Railway station on the Berhampore-Lalgola route.

Nimak Haram Deori is the main gate leading to Mir Jafar, the traitor’s palace Jafargunj. It is located at a distance of only 1 kilometer north from the magnificent Hazarduari. Visitors cannot enter into the palace as it is well guarded. This palace stands as the memorial of the darkest hour in the history of Bengal as Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah was killed here in an act of the betrayal. This assassination was decisive in the colonization of Bengal and India.

The battle ground of Plassey lying on the banks of the Bhagirathi River holds lot of historical significance. The British East India Company defeated the last independent Nawab of Bengal Siraj-ud-Daulah in the Battle of Plassey on 23 June 1757 which decided the fate of Calcutta and India. The British built the war memorial in the same year and the statue of The Nawab was erected by West Bengal government in the recent times. Mir Jafar, the commander-in-chief of the Nawab’s army betrayed him by accepting bribe from Lord Clive sealing the fate of slavery for Indians for the next 200 years.

This mosque is located inside the premises of Khoshbag which is the final resting place of the Nawabs belonging to the Afshar dynasty ruling Bengal. It has the tombs of Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah, his wife, grandfather and grandfather’s mother. Located on the west bank of Bhagirathi River, this is a famous toursist spot.

The cemetery of Siraj-ud-Daulah or Khoshbag as it is popularly known as is located at the Bhagirathi River bank in the west. The tomb is also shared by his wife, Lutf-un-nisa and his grandfather, Alivardi Khan. Basically Khoshbag is home to the tombs of Nawabs from the Afshar dynasty. Khoshbag covers an area of 7.65 acres of land. This is a prime holiday hotspot and thus secures a permanent place in other listings on the most notable tourist attractions in Murshidabad.

Moti Jheel, literal meaning Pearl Lake is a charming horseshoe shaped lake located 1 kilometer south of Lalbagh. The land adjoining Moti Jheel witnessed the celebration of Lord Clive after he acquired Bengal, Bihar and Orissa in 1765. It was also home of Warren Hatings during his tenure as Political President at Nawab Nazim’s durbar in 1771 AD. Moti Jheel is also referred to as the ‘Company Bagh’ because it was occupied by East India Company for a long time. Holiday HotSpot has also found out that the only existing building in the area is the Shahamat Jang.

Jahankosha canon also known as the Great Gun, exactly means the “Destroyer of the World” weighing 16,880 lb is 17.5 feet long with a girth of 5 feet at the touch hole end. The diameter of the touch hole is 1.5 inches and the diameter of the orifice is 6 inches. The celebrated canon is located at a short distance of 1 kilometer from Katra and was constructed in the 17th century by a craftsman named Janardan Karmakar belonging to Dhaka. There is a mosque named Kadam Sarif close to the canon which is said to house the replica of Hazrat Mohammad, the Prophet’s footprint.

Cossimbazar, also known as Kasimbazar or Kasim Bazar, is a census town in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal. The settlement lies on the riverbanks of Bhagirathi. In the past, the place formed a part of the Berhampore municipality. The number of people living in Cossimbazar in 1901 was only 1,262.

History of Cossimbazar

Cossimbazar Palace, Murshidabad

Despite the fact that the chronicles of the site can’t be deciphered previous to the 17th century, the place bore a lot of significance prior to the setting up of Murshidabad.

Since the establishing of industrial units in this area by the first European merchants, and following the destruction of Satgaon as a result of silting of the area where Saraswati River meets the Hooghly River, it achieved prominence as a big business hub in Bengal. Its prominence was uncontested till the time Kolkata was set up. The first English brokerage was set up in Cossimbazar in 1658. The person in command of the industrial unit turned into a member of council by virtue of an office in 1667.

The Bhagirathi was portrayed as the “Cossimbazar River” in English records in this era and also till the former part of the 19th century. The three-sided plot of land amid the Padma, Bhagirathi, and Jalangi, on which the city lies, was known as the Cossimbazar Island. The closeness of the industrial unit to Murshidabad, the administrative headquarters of the Nawabs of Bengal, though it was the principal source of its affluence and its governmental significance, subjected it to a invariable threat of assail. Therefore, Nawab Siraj ud-Dowlah acquired it as the first East India Company industrial unit in 1757. Subsequently, the chief and Warren Hastings, his aide were detained as captives to Murshidabad.

Still, Cossimbazar city continued to prosper in the start of the 19th century. By 1811, the place became well-known due to its hosiery sector, silks, magnificent ivory decoration, as well as koras. Nonetheless, the business-friendly ambience that it had at one time slowly deteriorated, possibly as a result of widespread malaria. Thus, the volume of arable land bordering Cossimbazar reduced considerably. The area was substituted by forest, and its destruction in 1813 was fulfilled when a drastic drift took place in the itinerary of the Bhagirathi. As a result, a new canal was created at a distance of three miles from the previous settlement, resulting in a foul-smelling marsh bordering the previous docks. Out of its grand mansions, only the well-decorated castle of the Cossimbazar Maharaja can be seen, and others were destroyed or can be symbolized just by huge heaps of mud. Warren Hastings’ first wife was laid to rest in this town and her burial place with the writing was still there in the beginning of the 20th century.

Old Cossimbazar Palace

Inside cossimbazar old palace

Cossimbazar English Cemetery, Murshidabad

Sunset At Lalbagh

Cossimbazar Palace: A top tourist draw in the area

The palace is famous for housing the Lakshmi-Narayan Sila founded by Krishna Kanta Nandy, the zamindar of the place. Parts of the mansion that have been fully renovated include the front entrances, fences, clock tower with the clock decorations, front courtyard, north porch, marble staircases connecting the principal edifice, dining room objects, dance hall extensions, Andar Mahal, furniture, Sri Sri Radha Gobinda Mandir, Lakshmi Mandir, Ashutoshnath Shiv Mandir, Majlish Ghar, Chandimandap, and the lawns inside. Don’t miss out the Garbha Griha (sanctum sanctorum) of the Hindu temple here.

Flanked by Padma, Bhaghirathi and Jalangi the previously prominent Cossimbazar or Masuma Bazar, is neglected by tourists today. The once thriving popularity of silk is also dwindling today. In the year 1658, Job Charnock had worked as an assistant principal for a salary of INR 300 in Cossimbazar kuthi. In the year 1756, Shiraz conquered Cossimbazar.

However the Lakshmi Mandir and “Thakur Dalan (a huge space or courtyard dedicated for the worship of Gods or Goddesses) of the Cossimbazar palace are particularly known for their innovative architecture. There are around 100 pillars featuring intricate artwork, gracing the “ Dalan”. Check out the Neminath Jain mandir featuring 24 statues and footsteps of Jain Tirthankar.

Attractions

Neelkuthi, full of intricate artwork (Panchanantala)

The Behrampur College (Built as a replica of Oxford University)

Bhagirathi’s banks (Lalbaadh)

The ritual of floating small (false) boats with banana in the Bhaghirathi waters in order to please the Gods Kojha and Khirij (during one of the summer months—also known as Bera Bhasaan festival) –

The fair, which is organized at the Lalbagh castle of the Nawabs

The popular Muharram festival

Cossimbazar English Cemetery

How to reach

You might as well take an auto rickshaw for touring Behrampur. Tangas are also available. You can conduct the entire tour of the Murshidabad, Behrampur and Cossimbazar area within 10 hours or so. The autos are likely to charge you on the basis of total hours or distance.